"Eva, where's Matt?" I'd expected him to come striding through the door at any moment, but nothing came. It wasn't like him to be away from Eva's side. She wouldn't have sent him out there just yet since the wards hadn't crashed, choosing to save his powers for when all hell broke loose.
She looked down, toying with the brand on her arm. My stomach dropped before her words landed. "This morning, we received a report of an attack on an outlying village to the west. Matthew, Luka, and Trystan took a small battalion out to stop it." She cleared her throat. "We have not heard anything from them as of yet."
Fuck, fuck, fuck. I ran my hands through my hair, linking my fingers behind my head before looking at Arabella. "Did you know about this? About the attack?"
She shook her head. "Not at all. I wasn't privy to everything he did, and ever since the throne room, he's been much more distant from me than he used to be. I suppose he could be using that as a distraction, or—"
Eva's hands began to tremble, and Renai reached to grasp one. She squeezed tightly, offering her friend a closed-lip smile. But I could tell how rattled Eva was as she met my gaze, pure fear staring back at me.
"I assume you've sent out ravens?" I asked.
Alric nodded. "Yes, we've been sending them out since we received word of the attack this morning. They started as a warning but have quickly escalated to pleas for help. I fear the only one close enough is Magnus's force in Angoria, but we have not received word that anyone is coming."
His statement hung in the air, forcing the gravity of our situation to rest upon our shoulders. Could we win without Matt? I wasn't sure. His powers were considerable, especially when combined with Eva's. And while Trystan wasn't as powerful as his brother, he still had significant gifts. If Lachlan showed up today, we would need every bit of power we could get.
"Where do you want me?" I asked, stilling my mind. There was no time to hesitate; I would fill in wherever Eva needed me.
I kept my gaze on Eva, and she didn't shy away. I could sense the turmoil in her mind, how every person in this kingdom relied on her and her choices. She could damn us all if she wasn't careful, but I knew she would sacrifice herself before that happened.
She cleared her throat. "Iwantyou to find my mate," she paused, "but I cannot spare you. Damien is leading troops down to the eastern wall to prepare for the attack. At the same time, our people are evacuating from their homes and coming to the palace." Renai's head jerked toward Eva at the mention of Damien's name. Even I had to admit my own surprise.
"You released Damien?" Renai asked, her fingers twitching at her side.
Eva nodded. "He's no longer under Lachlan's compulsion, and we could use his skill. I couldn't let him die alone in that tower, not when his involvement could save lives."
"But what if he dies?" she pressed, turning toward her friend and queen.
"Then his death will be honored if the city stands tomorrow, as will every other person who gives their life to protect this land," Eva snapped. "I have neither the time nor the patience to argue about the merits of his past military experience or his actions. He is a skilled captain and one of our best available now."
Renai snapped her mouth shut, but her eyes betrayed her. I understood her better than I did myself at times—she could probably say the same about me—so I recognized the slight downshift in her gaze as one of hurt. It was strange, and I didn't know why she was so concerned with his well-being. Had she finally realized her feelings toward him?
"My apologies," she muttered, taking a step back.
Eva pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'll defer your placement to you, Kalen. You know your strengths and weaknesses better than I do."
"What about me?" Arabella asked, stepping forward.
"What about you?" Renai asked. “How do we know Lachlan doesn’t have control over you now?”
“If he did, I damn sure wouldn’t be here.”
“Can you say the same in an hour? I see the hints of black in your eyes. He still has you in his thrall,” Ren shot back, standing firm.
Arabella took a deep breath. “Your concern is valid, but unwarranted. The black will always remain a part of me, as some of Lachlan’s experiments left me permanently altered. I couldn’t get rid of it if I wanted to.”
"Gods above, this isn't a pissing contest," Eva mumbled. "Where do you feel most comfortable being stationed?"
"If my sister is here, I'd like to confer with her. She will need assistance on the magical end of things."
"Please do. We need to take advantage of all power at our disposal." She paused, rapping her knuckle against the wooden desk. "However, I will leave you with this." Eva pushed to her feet, her tall frame towering over Arabella. "If you betray my kingdom or the people I love, there is no place in this world you could hide from me. What will you do if he puts you under his thrall?"
"If I betray your kingdom or the people you love, I will hand you the knife to cut out my heart myself, and if he attempts to drag me under to do his bidding, I’ll turn it on myself before he has a chance."
My breath caught as she held out her hand for Eva to take, making an offering that I understood, even if I hated it. Eva’s gaze slid to me in silent question, and I nodded my head in response.
As long as Arabella remained with me, I’d ensure she did exactly what she promised, if it meant I had to kill her myself.
She turned to look at me over her shoulder, and I felt the world right itself for just a moment. There was no war, no corruption, no shadows hanging over our heads. Instead, I saw a woman I’d pledged my life to, just as she had. “I’ll keep you safe, Bella. Or I’ll die trying.”
